Barcelona supervisor Hansi Flick has averted complaining for a lot of the season, with punctual exceptions about officiating, however in terms of the fixture checklist, for a second time this season, he has not held again. The Blaugrana will end their Copa del Rey ultimate with Actual Madrid round midnight on Saturday, earlier than making ready for his or her conflict with Inter on the next Wednesday within the Champions League semi-final first leg. They then face Actual Valladolid at 21:00 CEST earlier than touring to Milan for his or her conflict on Tuesday.
The Blaugrana play Celta Vigo on Saturday afternoon, earlier than a 21:30 CEST fixture towards RCD Mallorca, and a 22:00 CEST towards Actual Madrid in Seville. Beforehand Flick has referred to as on La Liga to ease the scheduling for groups in Europe, saying it’s not in regards to the comparability between groups, however moderately for the nice of Spanish soccer.
Forward of their conflict with Celta, Flick was once more livid in regards to the reality the sport between the semi-final legs was late at night time.
“Are you aware what number of matches we now have performed in current weeks? And do you we play late towards Valladolid? We arrive very late, perhaps the gamers are of their beds at 4 or 5 within the morning. I don’t wish to make excuses. But it surely occurs right here, and I’ve by no means had this earlier than. Each league protects their golf equipment within the Champions League, and particularly within the semi-final, it’s unbeliavable,” mentioned Flick elevating his voice.
“And we now have no time to relaxation, and I wish to talk about with the blokes who’re accountable. As a result of they don’t know how it’s. No concept how it’s. And my staff, in fact, perhaps we don’t play so good, and the opposite staff, who perhaps performed higher than us, are out, and we performed a incredible sport at dwelling. And it’s like that. It’s regular. Perhaps we aren’t in our greatest second, however the staff are doing nice.”
“I’m actually proud of them, they provide their finest, and naturally, in Dortmund, it was not their finest, however we reached our goal, which was the semi-final. For us, for the membership, it’s very optimistic, for the supporters, for the staff. After we began preseason, and now we’re on the 18th of April, and somebody says we’re within the semi-final, and within the ultimate of the cup, and prime of the desk, I kiss them, I hug them, and I say I take it, in fact.”
“However I’ll defend them. We’re within the semi-final, we lose only one match, and we now have to be optimistic,” he completed in a three-minute lengthy speech.
He continued on to evaluate the exhausting fixture checklist.
“We arrived late, and OK we now have yet another day. They’re younger gamers, not all, however rather a lot, however they will do it. For me, it doesn’t matter if a participant performs, half-hour, 45 or 60, and so they give every part, I’m completely happy. If they are saying ‘coach’, I’ve to return out, no downside. After we will say, was it my finest? I like this mentality. 45, 60 or 10 minutes, so long as they provide every part.”
Afterward in his press convention, he went again, and was even stronger in his criticism of La Liga.
Hansi Flick: “Celta Vigo have a transparent concept of how they wish to play. It will likely be vital to indicate our energy and do what we maybe did not do in Dortmund. We have now talked about it and we should enhance.”
— barcacentre (@barcacentre) April 18, 2025
“It’s only one factor. I don’t wish to come right here and complain or make excuses, and OK I’m completely happy it’s not Sunday at 14:00, because it was earlier than, now we’re taking part in on Saturday at 21:00 within the night,” he mentioned, earlier than elevating his voice once more.
“Why can we not play at 18:00 within the night? Give me one cause. I wish to see this man that decides it, who’s chargeable for it. For me, it’s a joke. I feel additionally for unhealthy for Spanish soccer. If we’re profitable, the opposite groups within the Europa League, it’s good for Spanish soccer. Then we now have yet another staff that may play within the Champions League. I’m speechless. I’ve no phrases for that. It’s unbelievable the scenario.”
“Each Federation, the Bundesliga, Premier League, takes care of their golf equipment, however we don’t do it right here. It’s simply, ‘ah, allow them to play’, they will come again at 5 – 6 o’clock (within the morning).’ We have now simply reached mattress for 4 hours. It’s unbelievable.”
It’s a debate that has been raised by Actual Madrid not too long ago too, with Carlo Ancelotti declaring that Los Blancos wouldn’t play with lower than 72 hours relaxation once more if there was an alternate accessible. The likes of Ernesto Valverde and Imanol Alguacil have all backed this message too, albeit with differing ranges of energy, whereas Manuel Pellegrini famous that it was not his job to complain.